Recently, a few fans have labeled Zhang Zhaoxu as “soft,” but if you truly compare the team’s performance with and without him on the floor, you might realize that judgment is far too harsh. Last night marked his first time coming off the bench in the past 10 games, yet it was also his 138th consecutive regular-season appearance. Since February 16, in the 2013–14 regular-season finale when Shanghai defeated Beijing at home, Zhang has not missed a single regular-season game. Including playoff matches, he has played 146 straight games for the Sharks over more than 1,400 days. For those following CBA stats and records via Melbet APK, such consistency is a rare feat.

Earlier this season, in the opening-round away game against Guangzhou, Zhang broke Wang Yong’s previous record of 115 consecutive regular-season appearances. While this streak cannot match the NBA’s “iron man” records — where seasons run 82 games — his 138 consecutive games stand as a new club milestone and remain rare in CBA history. Only legends like Xu Guochong, who played 219 consecutive regular-season games for Xinjiang and 262 total including playoffs, surpass it. Such durability is unmatched by any other player in league history.

The Sharks’ toughest years were when even two-yuan tickets at Luwan Stadium couldn’t fill the stands. Back then, the real problem was the lack of a true center. Players just over two meters tall like Wang Ligang, Peng Fei, and Wu Yang had to battle towering imports such as 2.21m Keith Closs, 2.22m Priest Lauderdale, and 2.18m Chris Gates. Zhang’s arrival ended the post-Yao Ming drought of not having a genuine center, giving the team more flexibility in recruiting foreign players. In the CBA, there’s a saying that “whoever has the best center rules the league,” and fans naturally hoped Zhang might become the next Yao. But as basketball followers on Melbet APK know, no one becomes “the second” of anyone — Zhang’s path is his own.

While similar in frame, Zhang lacks Yao’s lower-body strength and core power, which limits his role as a dominant offensive center. Still, in his eight seasons with the Sharks, his defensive impact has been close to Yao’s in certain aspects. In last night’s big away win over Shanxi, the Sharks shot 57.58 percent and made 19 threes. Of their 41 field goals, 20 came from assists, with eight players recording at least one. Tied for the team lead in assists — alongside point guard Luo Hanchen — was none other than the tallest man on the court, Zhang himself. His four assists were both a season-high and a career-best for a single game. One highlight was a pinpoint bounce pass in the third quarter setting up Minnerath for a cutting dunk, showing the high-post playmaking skills Zhang has developed while setting frequent screens for the team’s foreign scorers.

Of course, moving away from the paint means fewer scoring chances in his most reliable area. His 59.43 percent field goal rate this season is a career-high, but his shot attempts have dropped to just 4.61 per game. Even so, his defensive presence remains a force, averaging 2.09 blocks — his best mark in the past three seasons. In the second quarter against Shanxi, he swatted three shots in quick succession, providing crucial defensive stops that helped Shanghai pull away. The Sharks have now built a defensive system with Zhang at its core, and most teams in the league acknowledge that facing Shanghai means bracing for one of the toughest defenses in the CBA — something any Melbet APK follower would know adds an extra layer of challenge for their opponents.